How can they call this a sport? Horrific undercover footage of live piglets, possums and rabbits being strapped down and ripped to shreds by greyhounds... because trainers believe it makes them run faster

Trainers were tying live piglets, possums and rabbits to mechanical lures

This live bait method increases the greyhound's blood lust

The industry's biggest names were shown secretly blooding their dogs

One was filmed tying a piglet to a mechanical lure to be savaged by a dog

Shock waves were sent through Australia’s greyhound racing industry on Monday night after it was revealed that the sport’s top trainers were tying live piglets, possums and rabbits to mechanical lures and using them as live bait to train their greyhounds.

A tale of horror and death was told by ABC’s Four Corners program which revealed irrefutable evidence of live baiting during secretly filmed training sessions.

The live piglets, possums and rabbits were strapped to lures before being sent around the private tracks before being chased and killed by dogs.

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A possum is ripped to pieces by a greyhound during a live baiting session at a track

A piglet hangs from a lure before it his sent hurtling around the greyhound track

A trainer holds his greyhound as it rips into a rabbit tied to a mechanical lure

Two-time Australian Greyhound Trainer of the Year Darren McDonald, who has won more than $4 million in prize money, was filmed tying a terrified piglet to a mechanical lure to be savaged by dogs.

Another long-time successful trainer, Tom Noble, was filmed taking a baby possum from its mother so the mother could be used for live baiting.

Animal rights activist Hayley Cotton said what they discovered on the secret footage was brutal.

‘On the tapes was probably the most horrific cruelty that you would ever come across involving dogs and animals,’ she told the ABC on Monday.

Scores of owners and trainers including some of the biggest names in the business were shown secretly blooding their dogs with live bait.

‘It’s a practice that they believe will give their dogs a distinct advantage over other competitors not exposed to the practice, for the simple reason that their blood lust is up,’ Four Corners presenter Kerry O’Brien explained.

A greyhound grabs a piglet by its hind leg as it it whips by on a mechanical lure

A rabbit with its ears pinned back in terror is strapped to a mechanical lure before the greyhounds appear

However, it’s the cheating that maybe the worst thing as hundreds of thousands of punters bet more than $4 billion a year on greyhound racing, but what most of them don’t know is that this illegal activity is taking place.

Two famous greyhound owners are former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting and St Kilda and Sydney Swans AFL great, Tony Lockett. Both were pictured in the program with their winning greyhounds that were trained by Mr McDonald. However, they would have had absolutely no connection with Mr McDonald's cruel methods.

'Darren McDonald's dogs have won millions of dollars in prize money, so I'm sure there'll be people without and within the racing industry who'll be questioning whether his winning advantage has been gained through illegal and quite horrific live baiting training practices,' Lyn White of Animals Australia said.

Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting celebrates a win for his greyhound trained by Darren McDonald. Mr Ponting has no connection whatsoever with live baiting

AFL great Tony Lockett holds his dog after it wins for himself and trainer Darren McDonald. Mr Lockett has no connection at all with live baiting

Tracking dogs and their trainers from private training facilities and on to official race meets and using undercover investigators to infiltrate the industry, the Four Corners program discovered the integrity of potentially thousands of races and millions of dollars in prize money is now in question.

Live baiting has been banned and criminalised for decades. Those found guilty of it can face up to two years in jail and a life ban from greyhound racing, but at tracks at New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria the practice was obviously still thriving.

However, Six NSW greyhound trainers, 10 in Victoria and several in Queensland, have since been stood down after property inspections by the RSPCA late last week.

A rabbit twitches before dying while strapped to a mechanical lure after being savaged by a greyhound

Greyhound trainers let their dog attack a rabbit that has been kept on a leash so it can't run away

Rabbits are kept in a cage before being taking out and strapped to a mechanical lure at a greyhound track

A trainer tries to pry his greyhound away from devouring what's left of a rabbit on a lure

One of the men stood down - Paul Anderton - was a former steward for Greyhound Racing Victoria.

Greyhounds Australasia CEO Scott Parker said an independent review of all systems relating to animal welfare and integrity would be run in the wake of the allegations.

He said live baiting was ‘abhorrent’.

Greyhound Racing NSW chief steward Clint Bentley said the decision to stand down the trainers was made because of the seriousness of the allegations against them.

'While the investigations are only beginning, the allegations are of such a serious nature that we felt it imperative to suspend the five participants immediately,' Mr Bentley said in a statement on Friday.

Late last week the RSPCA made raids on various tracks that were operating live baiting operations

Greyhound Racing Victoria Chief Executive Adam Wallish said 10 people had been suspended over the allegations.

‘The use of live bait in the training of greyhounds is disgusting and has no place in our sport," Mr Wallish said in a statement on Friday.

‘Any person engaged in live baiting can expect to be disqualified and prosecuted. We have zero tolerance for these individuals.'

Mr Wallish confirmed that live baiting is a criminal offence punishable under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 and can attract a jail term of up to two years and a fine of more than $30,000.

This RSPCA officer saves a piglet that was about to be used as live bait at a greyhound track